Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1887-12-07
MARRIED IN HASTE.

-
hours So full of ircary minutes, that
seemed To crav after each other through
its dead. cold gloom.
Yet il was, by my own consent, to he my
) wedding day tomorrow. had said it;
hal not only said il, but had said |
should never repent.
As the early dawn breaks through the
gloom of night hear the old cock in the
farm yard give dismal hoot preparatory
10 his first crow 10 the new day.
And, utterly tired out, i drop asleep.
l One two-three - four five six
seven-eight beats out of the tall old clock
on the stair head outside my door, and
jump wildly TO my feet.
*At 3 O'Clock, then, " he had said
had only one hour-only one hour to
be Norah Glennie-
BY the time that clock struck 10
should he Norah Mapleson-a wife, = true
wife to n true husband.
| 1 rearrange my dre.s with = feverish
haste.
only stop to drink . cup of milk ere
leave the house. only just in time 10 catch
the train as ii passes orr country station.
am in time
| Once more my hands are clasped in his.
We say no wopl; only hurry through
| the sleepy streets till We enter the dingy
Office where. by some strange method, We
| are made man and wife. All is dream
to me.
l wonder vaguely where are my brides
| maids, where are my father and mother,
ltah! why OF course they are dad long,
lrng ago. have only my Old uncle, and
Re IS lying bedriddeE at NorlinSton
farm.
How could he be here The only thing
that seems real to me is the shining ring
on my finger.
look at it in kind Of fear as draw
my old kid glove over it before leaving the
house into which Norah Glennie had gone
a few minutes ago, and out Of which now
white. startled woman WAS issuing
Norah Mapleson.
Don't be so distressed, my darling
Don't look SO or cannot bear it!''
draw deep breath; l stretch ont my
hand, little wildly, l suppose, for he
takes il firmly in his and lays it on his
arm as he hurries through the streets
back again il the direction Of the railway
station.
Once more We are in the train.
"Minc-mine forever! do not fear the
future now.' is all my husband says, but
Poor William. In 4 weeks time he
will be on the ocean and we will have
parted for many months-perhaps years
He lets me rest quietly in his arms during
the very short journey back again to
Noriington get out of the train alone,
rs he Is going on some business two sta
tions further on; then he win come back
for the rest Of the week 70 the farm.
Before you go into this room, wife,
darling, you will take it Off, ana he
touches my finger, on which the bright
new wedding ring glitters-
Il cannot" I say, shuddering. ''It is
unlucky to remove a wedding ring"'
But, my darling, his sharp eyes
The train goes on, and am alone. Isee
his face look at me from the window.
alarmed and anxious; but l nod reassur
ingly and he smiles.
II causes no remark that have been out
SO early this morning, for everything late
" Is SO upset by reason of my uncle's i'll
ness and Williams near departure.
Then. again, there is only old Betty in |
the kitchen; and perhaps she scarcely |
knows have been out; and if the nurse |
who has been called in to attend my uncle |
knows, she, doubtless. thinks l have been |
into town on some household errand.
About my ring. I must hide it; but l |
cannot take it of. l hurry up into my |
room, and hurriedly turn OVER the con- |
tents OF An old musty dressing case that |
had been my fathers. Where can il bes |
That old garnet ring with the queer I'M |
der groove in it that / feel sure will let |
this thin wedding ring slip into it and so |
keep my secret from prying eyes.
All. with hot, trembling fingers find |
IT, Ii does exactly as thought it would |
do.
With that broad old ring always on, / |
need fear no discovery. None but myself |
would know that under it lay another,
the tiny circlet Of gold binding me strong
er than iron bands could do to my dear
love"
During the day my old uncle is taken
much worse and he will let no one be near
him but me. William comes in and out |
CT the room, but am tied to it nearly all
the day, till towards evening my uncle
falls into a deep sleep and can safely
leave him with his nurse. 1t was q raInb-
ling old house. Norlington Farm, and it
had been my only home now for nearly
seven years. all OF which time William
Maplesou had lived as my uncle's steward
and helper under the same roof.
IL has been a hard. self-denying life for
him. perhaps; but for me-or rather for
his love for me-he would never have
borne it, Till latterly the hard old man
had never discovered our love; and when
he had there was no more peace for US
under his roof.
He had ragged and stormed, declaring
that no niece Of his should marry William
Mapleson, on pain Of disinheritance.
Mine was always q weak, timid nature.
Perhaps some women was no longer q
young girl: my Both birthday had come
and gone would have actively resented
his tyranny and asserted their individual
rights could not. was in his power;
for when my parents died lie had taken
me in, a penniless girl, and had from that
time given me, in his particular hard way,
all that l needed TO Hve-nct but some
would have felt they fully earned such
keep.
scarcely ever looked at it in that way.
had been weak and helpless, alone in
the world, hot yery strong in health,
when lac had come TO my fathers funeral,
and after paying all expenses, had simply
said: Now go and pack up your kit
You must come with me to Norlingtpn
Van IA sGiVs "h<hb oAt ICY |
ty will say. but there's nothing else. as l
see. to he done. Remember, my girl, 'tii
Lot lady's life am Offering you, but !
suppose you are not too fine lady to
know what work means,"
II had been then, all was corrected by
now. During these seven years l have
worked hard and lived hard.
Yet there are those who say that old
Peter Glennie is worth half u million of
money.
My golden week Of happiness II gone;
but although William Is gone l am